Carolyn Black

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As is the case with most "all star" seasons of reality television, the latest installment of Project Runway All Stars has a few qualified candidates and a bunch of folks who were simply more than available. And, like the various "all star" treatments out there, Project Runway's second outing falls trap to the notion that trying to mix and match old seasons doesn't necessarily make for an attractive new one.
That's not to say there weren't legitimate Project Runway all stars to be excited to see again during the Season 2 premiere last night. What happened to Andrae? Funny you ask, because he was there! Along with fellow runner-up talents like Uli, Anthony Ryan, and Laura Kathleen. (My money is on Uli taking this whole thing. Much like how Mondo nabbed the Season 1 All Star victory to make up for the loss during his season, Uli will likely do the same here.) There's the contestants there for sheer entertainment value like Casanova (who already provided some Soup-worthy quips), Gay Ryan Reynolds AKA Josh, and the villain everybody love to hate to hate to hate, Wendy Pepper. Then there's Suede and Kayne and Peach. (Names have not been changed.)
The problem with both incarnations of Lifetime's Project Runway, both the regular season and now the new All Stars, is that even though you can dress it up the same as the original Bravo show, the fabric of the series has fallen apart at the seams since the network swap. (Come on, who doesn't like a series of fashion puns?! Oh, right, everyone.) Project Runway started to lose its edge when the talent pool not only dwindled substantially as the seasons went on and the challenges were anything but challenging. Case in point: last night's challenge.
After host Carolyn Murphy (who is lovely enough, but is no Heidi Klum as far as hosts go) told the contestants they'd be paired off into dreaded teams, the designers assembled to take on their first "challenge": creating a line with the theme of "attitude". Isn't all high fashion about attitude? How would this be considered a challenge to a fashion designer? Making clothes out of plants and scrap metal and random items at a grocery store, that is a challenge.
Nevertheless, they were split into two teams with Team 1 consisting of Kayne, Uli, Casanova, Ivy, Althea, and picked-last-for-kickball Wendy, and Team 2 had Josh, Peach, Laura, Emilio, Andrae, and Suede. The teams were given the chance to pick a word for the attitude challenge and Team 1 went with "confident" and Team 2 picked "bold". You know since bold and daring are things designers rarely strive for, this was going to be a real stretch.
Given $250 per person and the looming threat that the person with the worst design on the losing team, they all got to work. As well they should have considering how much is at stake this season. Project Runway may be painfully boring, but they sure do keep it interesting for the stars. This year the winner gets to be the Contributing Editor of Marie Claire for a year without all the fun of having to go to J-School, an all-expense paid trip around the world to the various Fashion Weeks, studio space, and $150,000.
If you're a long-running — and at this point, suffering — you know the drill from here on. The designers visit Mood, they eyeball and tear apart each others' progress in the work room, someone makes a blanket statement ("I'm not here to be safe, I'm here to win", "You're only as good as your weakest link"), their models come in, they get ready for the runway show, they put on the runway show, the judges judge, a winner is declared, and a loser is sent packing. Of course, there are a few key differences with regular Project Runway and All Stars in that, like the host, there's an entirely different set of judges (Michael Kors and your totally bats**t analogies for outfits, where art thou?) and instead of the heartwarming Tim Gunn, there's Tilda Swinton doppleganger Joanna Coles.
The judges — composed of Murphy, Coles, Georgina Chapman, and Isaac Mizrahi (who made my favorite declaration ever last night when he pondered "I wonder about shorts anymore!"), along with guest judge, the aforementioned Mondo — watched on as Team Bold showed a series of not terribly bold black-and-blue outfits and Team Confident had a slightly more confident black-and-lace collection. And, despite having Kayne and his super hero gone awry outfit, Team Confident emerged the winner. Team member Anthony Ryan became Season 2's first champ thanks to a chic number with a sexy surprise lace detail in the back (hey, the guy's still got it), while athletic wear enthusiast Peach was understandably the first to get the boot because of her unflattering, long-sleeved disaster of a dress.
All in all, it was a pretty dull episode of Project Runway All Stars. Does the season have potential? Perhaps. Based on the trailer, it seems like Ivy is hell-bent on giving Wendy a run for her money as insufferable TV villain and Katie Holmes makes an appearance as a guest judge. But since these episodes can feel a little tedious and the show itself can hardly muster up the same inspiration that it used to, here's some fun games you can play at home should you choose to watch the rest of this season, such as:
Who Said It: Casanova or Gloria from Modern Family?
Is That Suede Or A Juggalo?
Kayne or Kanye?
That last one doesn't really make sense, but you know, make it work.
What did you think of the Season 2 premiere of Project Runway All Stars? Were you underwhelmed by the lineup and the challenge or just thrilled that you didn't have to go a full two weeks without an episode of Project Runway? Who do you think looks poised to take this season? Share in the comments section below.
[Photo credit: Lifetime]
More:
Project Runway All Stars: Where's Andrae? He's Here!
What the Heck Happened to Project Runway?
Project Runway Season 10 Winner Is...

A decade-long gap between sequels could leave a franchise stale but in the case of Men in Black 3 it's the launch pad for an unexpectedly great blockbuster. The kooky antics of Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) don't stray far from their 1997 and 2002 adventures but without a bombardment of follow-ups to keep the series in mind the wonderfully weird sensibilities of Men in Black feel fresh Smith's natural charisma once again on full display. Barry Sonnenfeld returns for the threequel another space alien romp with a time travel twist — which turns out to be Pandora's Box for the director's deranged imagination.
As time passed in the real world so did it for the timeline in the world of Men in Black. Picking up ten years after MIB 2 J and K are continuing to protect the Earth from alien threats and enforce the law on those who live incognito. While dealing with their own personal issues — K is at his all-time crabbiest for seemingly no reason — the suited duo encounter an old enemy Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) a prickly assassin seeking revenge on K who blew his arm off back in the '60s. Their street fight is more of a warning; Boris' real plan is to head back in time to save his arm and kill off K. He's successful prompting J to take his own leap through the time-space continuum — and team up with a younger K (Josh Brolin) to put an end to Boris plans for world domination.
Men in Black 3 is the Will Smith show. Splitting his time between the brick personalities of Jones and Brolin's K Smith struts his stuff with all the fast-talking comedic style that made him a star in yesteryears. In present day he's still the laid back normal guy in a world of oddities — J raises an eyebrow as new head honcho O (Emma Thompson) delivers a eulogy in a screeching alien tongue but coming up with real world explanations for flying saucer crashes comes a little easier. But back in 1969 he's an even bigger fish out water. Surprisingly director Barry Sonnenfeld and writer Etan Cohen dabble in the inherent issues that would spring up if a black gentlemen decked out in a slick suit paraded around New York in the late '60s. A star of Smith's caliber may stray away from that type of racy humor but the hook of Men in Black 3 is the actor's readiness for anything. He turns J's jokey anachronisms into genuine laughs and doesn't mind letting the special effect artists stretch him into an unrecognizable Twizzler for the movie's epic time jump sequence.
Unlike other summer blockbusters Men in Black 3 is light on the action Sonnenfeld utilizing his effects budget and dazzling creature work (by the legendary Rick Baker) to push the comedy forward. J's fight with an oversized extraterrestrial fish won't keep you on the edge of your seat but his slapstick escape and the marine animal's eventual demise are genuinely amusing. Sonnenfeld carries over the twisted sensibilities he displayed in small screen work like Pushing Daisies favoring bizarre banter and elaborating on the kookiness of the alien underworld than battle scenes. MIB3's chase scene is passable but the movie in its prime when Smith is sparring with Brolin and newcomer Michael Stuhlbarg who steals the show as a being capable of seeing the future. His twitchy character keeps Smith and the audience on their toes.
Men in Black 3 digs up nostalgia I wasn't aware I had. Smith's the golden boy of summer and even with modern ingenuity keeping it fresh — Sonnenfeld uses the mandatory 3D to full and fun effect — there's an element to the film that feels plucked from another era. The movie is economical and slight with plenty of lapses in logic that will provoke head scratching on the walk out of the theater but it's also perfectly executed. After ten years of cinematic neutralizing the folks behind Men in Black haven't forgotten what made the first movie work so well. After al these years Smith continues to make the goofy plot wild spectacle and crazed alien antics look good.
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WHAT IT’S ABOUT?
In the late '50s a group of elementary students put futuristic drawings in a time capsule that is then buried on school grounds. One overly obsessed kid Lucinda goes her own way by writing hundreds of mysterious seemingly non-sensical numbers on her entry. Fifty years later it’s dug up and comes into the possession of Caleb the young son of John Koestler a recent widower and astro-physics professor who becomes obsessed with the papers Caleb has brought home from class. He soon discovers the random digits are actually not-so-thinly disguised dates (including 91101 of course) for “future” disasters and there are clearly three of those dates yet to come. Although nobody believes his ramblings about this code for impending doom a nearby plane crash proves he is on to something so ominous the fate of the world could be in jeopardy. With all hell about to break loose the prof takes matters into his own hands.
WHO’S IN IT?
Just a couple of years ago Nicolas Cage starred in Next as a magician who could see into the future and had to prevent a nuclear attack. Now he’s at it again as an MIT professor who also has clues to future catastrophes and also is out to prevent the inevitable. And of course in the National Treasure films he latched on to maps that had contained similarly dark deeply held secrets. Nic clearly likes “knowing” stuff before the rest of us and he’s quite believable even if some of the circumstances in his latest sci-fi adventure are really out there -- literally. Cage somehow makes you buy into this stuff which is key to the ultimate success of the flick. As the key kids Chandler Canterbury as Caleb and Lara Robinson as Lucinda (and later Abby Lucinda’s granddaughter) are properly eerie and haunted-looking. Rose Byrne is also along for the ride as Lucinda’s grown daughter who is able to provide goosebump-inducing information that the numbers alone can’t. There’s also some dead-on creepy emoting from D.G. Maloney as a quietly foreboding stranger who seems to be following Caleb.
WHAT’S GOOD?
Unlike some recent movies of this type with nothing on the agenda but pure mayhem “Knowing” delves into the bigger issues of why we are all here providing something other than just big explosions to talk about on the way home from the multiplex. Director Alex Proyas (I Robot Dark City The Crow) certainly knows how to pull off complex action set-pieces but he and his screenwriters also seem to be genuinely interested in exploring the meaning behind the madness.
WHAT’S BAD?
Some of the more pedantic dialogue Cage is given can be groan-inducing but since he plays John as a total believer we can forgive it. Also the film falls victim to a final act that veers into typical disaster movie territory and isn’t as compelling as the first two thirds which try to keep the premise at least marginally credible. At two hours it probably could have been tightened anyway.
FAVORITE SCENE:
The rain-soaked plane crash sequence with its gritty hand-held photography is riveting to watch and one of the most frightening depictions of a jetliner disaster put on film yet.
GO OUT AND GET POPCORN WHEN ...
If you are really squeamish it might be worth "knowing" that you should take breaks in the big disaster sequences as the CGI effects can get pretty violent and graphic particularly for a PG-13 movie.

Paris Hilton publishes memoirs
She conquered reality TV with The Simple Life, captured the home video market with One Night in Paris and now Paris Hilton has her eyes set on the best-seller list. Hilton's 198-page memoir, titled Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose (Fireside), is hitting bookshelves Sept. 7, The Associated Press reports. According to excerpts from the book, published in the Sept. 6 issue of People magazine, Hilton writes about her youth as an heiress. "It's traditional for an heiress to be raised in a sheltered way," Hilton writes. "No one thinks that's true of me, but it actually was." But the party girl insists she wasn't spoiled. "The rumor is that I got a credit card at age 9, which is ridiculous. It was more like 19, and I had to get one myself without my parents." Hilton also explains she has come to terms with being small-chested: "It was so embarrassing being flat-chested that I wore padded bras till I was 17. Now, I'm happy to be small. It looks better in clothes." Her memoirs also reveal her plans for the future. "I don't always want the glamorous, jet-set life. Let's face it, I've done it," she points out. "Someday soon, I want to have children and a big house with a lot of animals--like my parents had."
Tommy Lee to star in reality series
Here's a reality show you won't want to tune out! Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee has signed on to star in an NBC reality series centered on his enrollment at yet-to-be-named college. Reuters reports the still-untitled show is currently in development and does not yet have a premiere date. This is Lee's second try at reality TV. In 2002, the musician had a development deal with VH1, but the network declined to pick it up as a series and instead aired it as the special Tommy Lee: The Naked Truth. Lee, who is reportedly eyeing a reunion tour with Motley Crue in 2005, is also hitting bookshelves Oct. 19 with his autobiography, Tommyland (Atria Books).
Apprentice 2 cast unveiled
NBC has revealed the cast of The Apprentice 2, which premieres Sept. 9. The second season of real estate mogul Donald Trump's reality series features 18 contestants--up from the first season's 16--including four New Yorkers and four Harvard graduates. The oldest contestant is 37 while the youngest is 23. There are also a few coincidences with female contestants: There's Stacie and Stacy, two Jennifers, an Ivana and Pamela--who bears an uncanny resemblance to Trump's adviser, Carolyn Kepcher. According to the AP, the 18 contestants lived in a specially designed suite in Trump Tower with such amenities as a three-hole putting green, a basketball hoop, a $100,000 kitchen and a couch from Trump's own apartment.
Tommy Hilfiger eyes reality TV series
Like daughter, like father? Reuters reports fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger is eyeing a competition-style reality series centered on the fashion world for CBS. The talks come just weeks after Tommy Hilfiger Corp. announced it was selling its building at 485 Fifth Avenue in New York and eliminating one of its four distribution centers in New Jersey. Earlier this month, the clothing and accessories company posted a first-quarter loss of $7.6 million, or 8 cents a share. Hilfiger's daughter teenage daughter Ally ventured into the world of reality TV last year with MTV's Rich Girls. The show, which wasn't exactly well received, followed Ally and her gal pal Jamie Gleicher through the course of the summer following their high school graduation.
Queer Eye for Gene Simmons?
Kiss bassist Gene Simmons says on his official Web site the producers for Bravo's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy have asked him to be on the show. "They called me and asked me if I would do it. I'm a fan of the show. We may shoot on the 28th of September," Simmons says. Bravo did not immediately return the AP's calls seeking a comment. The hit makeover show fearing the "Fab Five"--Ted Allen, Kyan Douglas, Thom Filicia, Carson Kressley and Jai Rodriguez--is now in its second season, airing Tuesdays on Bravo at 10 p.m. (EDT).
Charlize Theron new face of Dior fragrance
Cosmetics giant Christian Dior announced Thursday Oscar winner Charlize Theron will be the new face of the fragrance J'adore. "Ms. Theron was chosen because she represents modern femininity and embodies the spirit and energy of Dior. She is a classic beauty," Pamela Baxter, president and CEO of LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics, Dior's parent company, said in a statement. Print ads and TV commercials featuring Theron will debut next month--about the same time ads for Chanel No. 5 featuring another Oscar winner Nicole Kidman will premiere. Dior's artistic director John Galliano oversaw all aspects of the ad campaign.
Warners finally to release Matrix set
At last, Warner Home Video is releasing the 10-disc Ultimate Matrix Collection. Variety reports the set, priced at $79.92, will be released Dec. 7. The compilation includes the three films, more than 35 hours of bonus features including more than 100 old and new featurettes and previously released animated shorts. Also in the set are previous stand-alone length DVDs such as the Animatrix collection of Matrix-related animated shorts, The Matrix Revisited documentary and even audio commentaries by critics who didn't like the movies. For an extra $50, Warner will offer a limited edition set that comes with a Neo mini-bust figurine and an 80-page collector's book.
Black Eyed Peas joins forces with EA's Sims
Electronic Arts Inc., the world's largest video game publisher, announced Thursday the Black Eyed Peas will produce the soundtrack to the upcoming game The Urbz: Sims in the City, Reuters reports. Goals in The Urbz, which places characters in an urban metropolis, is to build up street credibility and become a 'player' with access to all the fashionable hotspots of the city. Along the way, virtual versions of band members Will.I.Am, Fergie, Taboo and apl.de.ap appear as musicians and teach dance moves to players. Console versions of the game will also include nine tracks from the upcoming Peas album Monkey Business recorded in Simlish, the babbling language in EA's hit Sims video franchise.

Top Story: L.A. Photographer Charged Over Diaz Pics
A Los Angeles photographer was charged Wednesday with attempting to extort $3.3 million from actress Cameron Diaz over photos taken at a private modeling session in 1992--before the Charlie's Angels star became famous, Reuters reports. John Rutter, who was arrested Tuesday at his Venice apartment, was also charged with attempted grand theft and perjury and two counts of forgery. Diaz's publicist, Brad Cafarelli, had alleged the photographer was trying to extort money from Diaz, now 30, by giving her first shot at purchasing the pictures before contacting media outlets. Rutter claimed to have a signed release for the pictures, which he says include topless shots of a then-21-year-old Diaz, but the actress says she never signed a photo release and that the signature he produced is a forgery. Last month, Diaz sued Rutter to stop the release of the photos and Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Alan B. Haber agreed to seal the photos. Rutter, 41, and is being held on $250,000 bail pending an arraignment and faces a maximum of six years in prison if convicted.
Deliberations Resume in Sizemore-Fleiss Case
Jurors in the Tom Sizemore-Heidi Fleiss domestic violence trial will begin their second day of deliberations this morning, The Associated Press reports. The jury asked Superior Court Judge Antonio Barreto Jr. for the transcripts of the tape-recorded phone calls Sizemore made to his ex-girlfriend Fleiss and asked the judge for the specific definition of "intent to annoy." Sizemore, who starred in Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down, is facing charges of vandalism, threatening to inflict injury to a person or property, corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition, and making harassing phone calls. If convicted, he faces up to 13 years in prison.
Producer Pleads Guilty in Seagal Shake Down Case
Steven Seagal's former business partner, Julius Nasso, admitted in federal court Wednesday that he plotted to have the mob shake down the action star. Under a plea deal, Nasso, who produced early Seagal films such as On Deadly Ground and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, will serve one year in prison and pay a $75,000 fine. According to the AP, Nasso said he had an "understanding" that a reputed capo in the Gambino crime family, Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone, would confront Seagal about a debt in a way "that would be perceived to be a threat." Ciccone was convicted along with Peter Gotti, brother of late mob boss John Gotti, in a racketeering case and is awaiting sentencing. Nasso, however, maintains Seagal owes him $2.5 million and would sue him to get it back.
AMPAS Need Film Credits Sooner Than Later
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts &amp; Sciences, which each year asks studios and production companies to be punctual in submitting official screen credit forms for Oscar consideration, is requesting they be submitted earlier than the Dec. 1 deadline. According to Variety, the forms must officially be submitted to the Academy no later than 60 days after the opening of the qualifying Los Angeles release, or Dec. 1, whichever comes first. But because of next year's earlier Feb. 29 Oscarcast date, the official reminder list of eligible releases must be proofed, printed and ready to mail along with the nominations ballots on Jan. 2. Credits coordinator Torene Svitil told Variety there will therefore be very little time to make last-minute changes to the list.
Jay Leno Invites Recall Candidates on Show
Jay Leno has invited everyone making a bid in the California gubernatorial recall race to appear on NBC's The Tonight Show two weeks before the election, Reuters reports. "We're going to invite every single person running for governor to be in our audience Sept. 22," Leno said on Tuesday night's telecast during his opening monologue. "Here's your chance to get on national television with your issue." Leno jokingly added that he would even provide a booster seat for Diff'rent Strokes star Gary Coleman, who is running. A spokesman for Coleman told Reuters the former child star would take Leno up on his offer. According to state election officials, 135 candidates, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, have officially qualified for the ballot.
Madonna Lends Song for Estee Lauder Ad
The Fifth Element director Luc Besson has filmed a commercial for Estee Lauder's
new fragrance, Beyond Paradise, starring supermodel Carolyn Murphy and featuring Madonna's "Love Profusion" single from her American Life album. According to Reuters, top special effects experts in France spent several months composing each frame of the 30-second spot, which will observe Murphy is in a magical world of water, flowers and fairies. The ad will debut in more than 10,000 movie theaters nationwide in September with a TV version set to air on MTV, VH1, E! and Style cable channels. What could be next for Madonna, an Old Navy commercial?
Insane Clown Posse Named Worst Band Ever
The Detroit rap duo Insane Clown Posse, known for their creepy face makeup and X-rated lyrics, have been named the worst band ever by Blender magazine. According to Reuters, Blender's September issue said Insane Clown Posse "sound even stupider than they look," and ridiculed them for rapping about "40-ouncers and venereal disease." Officials at the band's Psychopathic Records label were not happy about the rating and noted that the Insane Clown Posse's album The Wraith: Shangri-La, which was dubbed the worst by Blender, actually received a three-star review in the publication's January/February issue. No. 2 on the list

Top Story: Osbourne Gets Caught in Cat Fight
Sharon Osbourne was allegedly involved in a minor fracas at a Los Angeles restaurant Thursday evening. The Associated Press reports that police were called in when Osbourne, who was dining with rocker husband Ozzy and son Jack, apparently had a squabble with agent Renee Tab and allegedly "started spitting on [Tab] and calling her names," Tab's attorney, Nejila Brent, told AP. Osbourne's spokeswoman, however, claims Sharon had been "viciously assaulted" and treated at a hospital for injuries, although she couldn't comment on what those injuries were, AP reports. Tab, who works for the talent agency ICM, has been at odds with MTV's The Osbournes' matriarch since January when the agent attended an Osbourne party allegedly uninvited and ultimately won a hefty door prize--a $15,000 necklace.
Penn's Car Found Minus Guns
Police told Reuters that they found Sean Penn's stolen black 1987 Buick Grand National on Friday. The two guns that were inside the car when it was taken, however, are reportedly still missing. Penn had permits for the guns.
Crowe Honeymoons Australian-Style
Russell Crowe and his new bride, Danielle Spencer, currently on a "self-drive honeymoon" around Australia, were spotted in the city of Rockhampton on Australia's east coast, Brisbane's Courier-Mail newspaper reported. After dining at local restaurant, Crowe signed some autographs. "I'm a local but if I was a movie star or a singer, Rockhampton is the last place I'd come for a honeymoon," one fan told AP.
Wannabe Rapper Murders for "Gangsta" Image
A wrongful death lawsuit filed against aspiring rapper Antron Singleton (aka "Big Lurch"), Death Row Records, Stress Free records and two employees claims Singleton murdered the plaintiff's daughter, his roommate Tynisha Ysais, and ate part of her lung as part of a Death Row Records plan to cultivate a "gangsta" image for the rapper, Reuters reports. Ysais' mother, Carolyn Stinson, claims in her suit that Death Row Records, headed by Marion "Suge" Knight, provided Singleton with drugs "to encourage [him] to act out in an extreme violent manner so as to make him more marketable as a 'Gansta Rap' artist," Reuters reports. Police found Singleton staggering naked and covered in blood in a Los Angeles street April 10, 2002. He has been charged with the murder and is awaiting trial.
British Prime Minister Goes "D'oh!"
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has decided to play himself in animated form for an upcoming episode to the hit show The Simpsons. Reuters reports Blair recorded the few lines of dialogue Friday, mostly promoting Britain's tourist industry, for a segment featuring the Simpsons on vacation in England.
Role Call, Part I: Knight Rider Hits Big Screen; Scary Movie 4 on the Way
Revolution Studios will make a feature film based on the hit '80s NBC TV show Knight Rider, which revolved around crimefighters Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) and his talking car K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand), a sleek black Pontiac Trans Am. … If you're looking for more Scary fun, Dimension Films has greenlit a fourth installment of the Scary Movie franchise with a handful of the cast reprising roles, Variety reports. Scary Movie 3 is being released in October.
Role Call, Part II: McConaughey Is Parched in Sahara; Olsen Twins Go New York
Matthew McConaughey is in final negotiations to star in the feature film adaptation of Clive Cussler's 1992 novel Sahara. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will focus on the first installment of Cussler's best-selling Dirk Pitt series where the intrepid adventurer and explorer (McConaughey) searches the African desert for a toxin that is killing marine life (if that makes any sense) … On the lighter side, those cute Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, will join director Dennie Gordon (What a Girl Wants) for New York Minute, an action-adventure comedy described as a cross between Charlie's Angels and After Hours. Think those two will ever go solo? Just wondering.

Chirpy blonde Carolyn McDuffy (Christina Ricci) has the perfect life. A Southern California State University senior from a wealthy family Carolyn's a devoted sister of Alpha Omega Pi and has the school's gorgeous top-ranked tennis star for a boyfriend. School's just started and her sorority's goal is to defeat archrivals the Tri-Omegas as Sorority of the Year. To that end Carolyn and her sisters hope to win over the Greek Council by showing their diversity and put on their best politically correct faces welcoming "the best" minority rushees and helping a charity for mentally handicapped male athletes. But Carolyn more than balks when it comes time to coach the athletes for the Challenged Games--she's scared stiff by her wheelchair-bound redheaded charge Pumpkin Romanoff (Hank Harris) whose puzzled stare crippled body and fumbling throws of the discus send her almost into a panic. It isn't long though before she gets to know the gentle and simplistically honest Pumpkin whose kind nature touches her heart and opens her eyes to a beauty that comes from inside. Before long she's introducing Pumpkin to her friends taking him on trips to the beach even setting him up on a date with her overweight highly insulted friend. When she realizes that what she feels for him to her own shock and the horror of everyone she knows is more love than friendship all hell breaks loose. Boyfriend Kent is devastated she's excommunicated from her sorority Pumpkin's overprotective mother wants to see her dead and she escapes...to Long Beach.
Ricci is so good in darkly comedic performances that it's no wonder she went from merely producing this movie to taking the starring role. She's right on with her tongue-in-cheek portrayal of a bubble-headed sorority chick who sees life through rose-colored glasses until her life falls to pieces and she delivers some great lines to boot. The problem with this movie isn't her acting it's the unevenness of the script that has her--and everyone else--doing things that don't quite ring true (like how could she drive off and forget Pumpkin was sitting helpless on the beach leaving him for hours?) but Ricci's able to compensate for that somewhat. Unfortunately the nature of Harris' character keeps him from saying much and other than by some great facial expressions we really don't get a good sense of who he is or what captivates Carolyn so. Carolyn's fellow sorority sisters (Dominique Swain Marisa Coughlan) are a hoot and Sam Ball as Kent is quite a find. Brenda Blethyn also appears as Pumpkin's overprotective mom.
This movie doesn't quite know what it wants to be. Black comedy with a message? Probably but it's so uneven you don't quite know what the message is. It seems like first-time directors Adam Larson Broder and Tony Abrams (who also co-wrote) were trying to give their film too many layers when it would've been best to stick to stereotypes while still being funny. Carolyn's sorority is already diverse--that they thought it would be impressive to get more minority rushees doesn't make as much sense as it would have had they all been blonde like their competition. The handicapped athletes don't look handicapped but rather like actors pretending to be handicapped. Film starts out mildly funny until midway through when there's a roughly 35-minute chunk of completely unfunny material and then a bizarre tone shift takes place that makes it seem almost as though the writers changed their minds about who these people are halfway throught the script. Pumpkin's mom who seemed fine for the first half is suddenly a heavy drinker who wants Pumpkin all to herself. (If she's so controlling why isn't she concerned that Carolyn is not only hours late bringing him home from the beach but then just leaves him sitting in the driveway without making sure he gets inside?) Kent who starts out more compassionate and understanding than Carolyn abruptly turns into a jerk who gets taught an incongrously horrible lesson that seems undeserved given his nice-guy ways throughout most of the film. And there's the matter of why they have Christina Ricci looking like a refugee from the sorority in Animal House while everyone else in the movie looks up to date. Overall it's just a weird flick.